Boat.



Patented oct. a, mm.v s. nun.

No. 684,'3ll.

BOAT.

(Application led Sept. 4, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Tus nous.: aus co.. Pumuma, wnsmum'onh:4 Q

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SATO RUJI, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

B OAT.

SPECIFICATION forming 0f Letters Patent N0. 684,311, dated October 8, 1901. Application led September 4,- 1900; Serial No. 29,007. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, SATO RUJI, of the city and county of San Francisco, in the State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This is an improvement in portable watercraft designed for pleasure and utility in the navigation of inland or other placid waters and in which I employ foot-power as a means of propulsion after the bicycle fashion. To increase its portability, this improved craft is hinged amidships and is partly collapsible.

I will herein refer to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts in the several figures.

Figure l is a longitudinal elevation showing the general construction of my improved boat. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, partly broken away, so as to expose detail. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line x su of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrow. This view shows superribs of the forward part of the boat in their distended aspect. Fig. 4 is a similar section (less the upper covering) showing these superi-ibs collapsed or dropped into the boat proper. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a partof the keel, showing detail of the central hinge-joint.

This invention comprises a frame constructed and disposed somewhat like the frame of a racingscull or rapid-sailing skiif; but, unlike in such small craft, the ribs of my boat continue above the rail and join at the top, so as to constitute a sh-back-like superstructure rigid aft, but collapsible forward, with a manhole or hatch centrally disposed with reference to the stem and stern-post. Although my invention may be applied to larger craft for several persons, it is chieliydevised for one person, and for such use it is intended that my boat shall be about nine feet long, three feet high from keel to hatch, measured perpendicularly,and about two feet abeam at thc rail amidships. I will therefore explain this invention with reference to such dimensions.

The keel of my boat is made of two parts A A2, curved centrally downward -and preferably bent up fore and aft, so as to constitute both stem and stern-post as well. It is curved up at the prow, so as to` forma cutter-runner# like stem B, which latter is brought well aft at its upper end, so as to insure stability and to afford a secure splice attachment for the for# ward ends of the port and starboard rails, which grasp the stem at this point upon opposite sides of it. These rails,like the keel,are made each in two sections C C2 C2 C4 and extend from the said splice attachment with the stern B rearward to the top of the stern-post D, so that they shall be horizontal in general direction and about eighteen inches above the keel, measured perpendicularly amidships, as before stated. The upper end of said stern-post is riveted fast between the rear ward ends of the port and starboard rails. Between this and their forward attachment with the stem B these rails will gradually swell or spread apart amidships to a width of, say, twenty to twenty-four inches. I may prefer to make the sternpost D separate from the keel A, in which case I will clip them fast to gether.

The ribs or frames E are made so that each port and its opposite starboard rib shall be one piece. Aft of amidships these ribs continue upward and converge to a central ridgepiece F, except where they meet the trimmer G of the centrally-disposed hatch H.V The ridge-piece F is riveted at its rear end to and between the rails j ustin frontof the stern-post D, and atits forward end it is clipped fast to the rear curved end of the hatch-trimmer G, centrally abeam. The forward ribs end at the rail and the superribs E2 therefrom are bent horizontally at their lower ends, so as to pivot them to and within corresponding eyes or apertures E2 inthe rail and ribs lat their junction, as seen in Figs. l, 4:, and 5. This horizontal pivoting of the s uperribs E2 is to admit of the latter being dropped back into the boat in order to facilitate .the collapsibility of the superstructure. The pivots are hammered at their ends so as to form a rivethead-like liange (or else provided with anut or key) for the purpose of preventing the superribs E2 leaving the eyes E2. The collapsible superi-ibs E2 are joined together at their upper ends centrally-that is to say, on

a line fore and aft with the ridge-piece F- by means of a rope or jointed wire J passing around by the stem and keel through a pipe IOO or tube K, which (keels'on-like) follows the direction of the keel within the boat. This collapsing line J for the forward superribs is guided by the tube K (or, as a substitute, by rings or pulleys) to a point just below the operator, so as to bring both its initial and terminal ends within his reach, so that he may raise or lower these pivoted ribs at will and at one operation without leaving his seat, which is within the hatch H. The tube K begins near the upper end of the stem and ends at mid-keel, from which points the within lying line J passes upward to the hatch. The ribs E are thoroughly riveted to the keel and rails and, in case of the superribs that are aft of the hatch H, also to the ridge F. An extra strong rib E4 is disposed at that point aft where the propeller-shafts, to be spoken of latter, leave the side of the boat in order to afford a strong support for the thrust-bearings of these shafts. I also pro- Vide a pair of strong ribs E5 E6 for a `hingejoint, also to be described later. At suitable distances between the keel and rail I run foreandaft stays or sheer-battens L on the planking-lines from stem to stern-post and which, like the rail, are riveted fast to the ribs E and to the stem and stern-post. These stays L and the keel and rail are disposed on the outside of the ribs, so as to admit of the outerhull-coveringllLwhich I make of sealskin or other iiexible substance, being tacked or otherwise made fast to said stays from its juncture with the stem, stern-post, and the keel to and around the superframe. This arrangement of the rail, keel, and sheerbattens on the outer side of the ribs is in order that the natural lines of depression of the sealskin or fiexible outer covering (which are from withoutJ inward) may be disposed fore and aft along the water-lines, thereby providing clinker effects as an additional means to steady the motion of the boat abeam. (See Fig. 3.) The outer covering or integument M is to be well sewed or closely joined at the upper seam and thoroughly secured in place except to the forward or collapsible superribs E2, which latter shall be free to drop forward into the boat by means of the collapsing line J to admit of their superlying integument or covering bein-g also depressed or collapsed into the boat when so required. The superstructure extends about one foot and a half above the rail to allow proper freedom in the operation of a bicycle mechanism for guiding and propelling the boat. My object for making each rear rib and its corresponding superrib one continuous piece and the stern-post integral with the rear section of the keel and for rigidly joining the ridge-piece with the stern-post, hatchtrimmer, and rear ribs is toimpart strength and stability to the rear section of the, boat, so as to better sustain the actionof therpropeiling mechanism. In order to support this mechanism in the bottom of the boat and to form a lining upon which to place fishing-v tackle, luggage, supplemental ballast, dre.,

cally severed or divided into two parts abeamV amidships. At this point of juncture I provide the above-mentioned pair of joint-ribs E5 E6, (one to each section of the boat,) which So 'Y' ribs E5 E6 shall possess sucient extra 'Y strength to enable the two sections of the boat to be Thoroughly clamped togetherv at the hinge-joint by means of clamps or bolts E7, andfor the latter purpose these strong Y ribs are made to lie in juxtaposition and are Y v Y faced on their inner or joint sides with strips of india-rubber N, well secured thereto by' dovetail joint, waterproof or rubber cement, or otherwise. These rubber strips are sufficiently thick and elastic to exclude all water Y Y Y Y when this joint is properly clamped, as just said.

of hinges C5, one at each beam end of the joint, which I secure to the upper edge'of the rail. tates that the keel, Vthe rail, the sheer-stays, the hatch-trimmer, the keelson, sisterkeelsons, and the outer covering shall be severed or apart, and therefore each section of the When folded, the'Y boat is made separate. doubled joint end is to be flush or even-"that is to say, no part of the boat or of its pro` pelling mechanism will protrude beyond or across the joint. In case any of the mechanism shall cross the joint it is to be conveniently separable. The forward joint-rib E5,

This joint, as is manifest, necessi-`V As a means of holding the sections to- Y Y gether in hinge connection, I employ a .pairr 'loon IIU like the other forward ribs, ends at the rail,

and the rearward join t-rib E6 continues up to the hatch-trim mer, with which it is riveted or clipped. At the juncture of the after jointas above mentioned, both port and starboard, on a line upward with the hinge-joint. hatch-trimmer is thus divided into two equal The Y Y :2QVY

VV11's' Y rib E( with the hatch-trimmer and just fore Y 1i Y of this rib E6v theV hatch-trimmer is severed,

parts, a forward half Gandarearward half GZ, so that the points of section shall admit of the forward half being hinged and doubled upon the rearward half by hinges G3 and allow the thus-doubled trimmer to pass between the rails C C3 when the boat is folded. hatch I-I is of just sufficient width-say eighteen inchesto admit the operator when sit.- ting in position ready to propel the boat'and of a length-say twenty-four inches-to allow the free action of ordinary bicycle guide-handles.

The

Isa

The lhatch-trimmer is curved fore andY I gff rf aft to accommodate the'body of the operatorr f i The rudder O for guiding my boat in any Y desired course is of the ordinary type, of thin tough board, with rudderpost O2 integral therewith. It is operated by port and starboard rudder lines O3 O4, secured aft to the rearward edge of the top of the said rudderpost, but free from the sides thereof, and thence passing forward to the wheel or guidehandles P,by means of which the said rudderlines and the interconnected rudder are actuated. Thehandies Pmay be a pair of ordinary bicycle guide-handles, Figs. l and 2,with their vertical shaft P2 removably stepped into a beam Q and free to be lifted out of the way when folding the boat. The beam Q is secured to the rails C C3. For properly securing the forward ends of the rudder-lines in operating connection with the wheel I provide a crossbar P3, (shown curved in Fig. 2,) rigidly fast abeam to the vertical shaft P2 at about the elevation of the rail and of sufficient length to insure prompt reply to the action of the guide-handles. I cross the rudder-lines in their interconnection with the rudder-post and the wheel, so that the port line shall be secured to the starboard end of the cross-bar and the starboard line to the port end thereof, in order that the boat may be guided in its course as a bicycle for the same movements of the guide-handles-that is to say, the boat will move to port when the port guide-handle is pulled and to starboard when the starboard guide-handle is pulled. The rudderpost extends above the rail, so as to enable the rudder-lines to be brought forward along the sides of the boat, preferably outside just above the rail, and enter the boat at or near the hinge-joint. The rudder O is hinged to and just abaft of the stern-post D in the usual way.

To insure greater stability in the movements of my boat, I provide a pair of wings R, preferably made in the form of the lateral fins of a fish and arranged one on each side of the boat just above the water-line to perform the functions of bilge-keels for the purposejust mentioned. These tins or wings incline rearward at a suitable angle-say forty degrees-to the line of the keel and somewhat upward in the direction of the prow at an angle of about fifteen degrees, gradually increasing to twenty degrees upward at their outer forward point. They also point slightly upward laterally or in their outward sweep, so that their action on the water shall be gradual from the sides of the boat outward and for other obvious reasons. For a boat of the size herein assumed the length of the iins R is about fifteen inches and their width is about five inches. These fins are hinged or pivoted, as at ES, Figs. 1 and 2, to adjacent ribs or to suitable dead-wood or bridging secured between adjacent ribs, so as to enable them to be closed up against the sides of the boat for more convenient portability. To hold them rigidly in their functional aspect, I provide to each an adjustable brace R2, disposed upwardly from the upper surface of the iin and pivoted at its lower end to this upper surface and at its upper end to one of the rear ribs E. I prefer to make the fins R of baleen, but I may make them of aluminium or any other suitable material. It is intended that the draft of my boat with the operator in shall be about one-half its perpendicular height, or near to the rail, and it is at this point that the lower edges of the fins are pivoted.

As before stated, the propulsion of my boat l is effected by a modified form of bicycle mechanism which operates oppositely twisted screws S SX. These twin screws are made to revolve toward each other, looking from above, each by its shaft T. The propellershafts T are journaled at the proper points aft where they pass through the sides of the boat by means of thrust-bearings T2, so that the propellers S SX shall be just abreast of the stern-post and at such an elevation that they shall not extend below the bottom of the keel. The bearings T3 for the inner ends of the shafts T are secured to a beam T4, which is made fast at its ends to the opposite sides of a strong rib E9 at a sufcient height to allow the said shafts to dip slightly downward aft. I point these propeller-shafts slightly downward, so they will tend to steady the boat to counteract the weight of the operator and to obviate any sudden jar or backlash from any cause, and for the same purpose I provide the inner end of each of the propeller-shafts with a suitable balance-wheel T5, properly keyed fast. Just forward of the balance-wheels T5 on the said inner ends of the shafts T, I provide small beVel-pinions T6, by means of which the shafts are revolved. The aforesaid bicycle mechanism comprises a pair of pedals U, made fast to the opposite ends of a short spindle U2, which latter is journaled to a pair of brackets U3, that are properly disposed and secured in Aplace just forward of the hinge-joint. Centrally on the pedal-spindle U2 is rigidly keyed a driving sprocket-wheel V, which actuates a sprocketpinion W through a sprocket-chain V2. The pinion W is secured centrally `on an arbor W2, disposed abeam abaft of the operator. To this arbor W2 and as close to the sides of the boat as will admit of their free revolution I secure two oppositely-disposed bevelwheels W3, so arranged thereon as to exactly mesh with and actuate the aforesaid bevelpinions TG, which will have the effect aforesaid of revolving the twin propellers S SX toward each other, looking downward, when the pedals U are revolved forward in the usual IOO way. The proportionate diameters of the sprocket-wheel V to the sprocket-pinion W and of the bevel-wheels VV3 to the bevel-pinions T6 is such as to revolve the screws and propel the boat at a great speed, consistent with the power of the operator, when the pedalsare worked rapidly. The pedal-spindle U2 is removable from the brackets U3 to admit of it and the pedal U, sprocket-wheel V, and chain V? thereon being lifted out and placed in the rear section of the boat when doubling up.

The seat X for the operator is so hinged to the rear section Gr2 of the hatch-trimmer as to admit of its being doubled under the ridgepiece F, and it is kept rigid in its operative position by any suitable means, such as a brace X2 or a bolt and keepers, or else it may be made to slide under the ridge-piece, if desired. I prefer to arrange the machinery `of my boat so as to have the brackets for the pedal-spindle located just sufficiently forward of the hinge-joint to clear the joint, the balance of the machinery properly disposed, as before described, in the after section of the boat and the position of the operators seat just abat't of the hinge-joint, so that he may be free to shift his center of gravity fore or aft as well as laterally to enable him to accommodate his action and the weight of his body to prevent any roll or pitch in the rapid motion of the boat.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secu re by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. A boat having two flexibly-joined framesections,l one of which sections is foldable upon the other, and a cover adapted to overlie the tops of the sections when open, substantially as described.

2. A boat having two flexibly-joined framesections, one of which sections is foldable upon the other, and a foldable covered superstructure supported by the sections, collapsible for a portion of its extent, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A boat having two frame-sections, one of which is foldable upon the other, side hinges connecting the abutting ends of the sections, and a cover adapted to overlie the tops of the sections,substantiallyas described.

et. Aboat 4comprising a hull-frame primarily in two parts abeam, a similarly-divided superstructure rigid aft but collapsible forward so as to admit of the two sections of the boat being doubled upon each other, and a ilexible covering overlying both the hull-frame and superstructure, substantially as described.-

Y 5. A boat comprising a hull primarily in two parts abeam, and a [ish-shaped back or superstructure rigid aft but collapsible forward and having a somewhat-centrally-disposed manhole or hatch, said hull and superstructure being respectively pivoted orhinged at the rail and hatch-trimmer so as to admit of the two sections of the boat being doubled `upon each and the collapsed forward end dropped upon the rigid rear section, substantially as described.

6. A boat comprising a collapsible superstructure, pivoted ribs therefor, and a line joining said ribs together whereby the same can be raised or lowered at will, substantially as described. Y

7. A boat comprising foldable sections,`a partly collapsible and foldable superstruc-V ture thereon, pivoted superribs for the c'ol'-Y lapsible part of said superstructure, a lin'e7roVV flexibly joining said superribs together, andY i,

means, for guiding said line in the direction ,Y g

of the stem and keelson to' a point near the operator so as to bring both the initial and terminal ends of the line within his reach, Yl5 fr substantially as described.

8. A boat comprising a'hu'll made in two' j 'i sections, a similarly-divided superstructure f thereon having a centrally-disposed hatch, a

seat adjustable within said hatch, and suit 8o 'I able propelling and steering mechanisms located partly in the forward section of the I being disposed horizontallyoutward,inclinedV Y somewhat aft and slightly upward laterally, and bent up in their forward aspect so thatYV they will always ride the water, with no pro'- 95Y Y pensity to dive, and willV have a lifting tendency to right the boat automatically when either rolling or pitching, substantially as described. Y Y

10. A boat having lateral fins hinged on a.V substantially horizontal line to it so as to enable them to be closed up against its sides for more convenient portability, and means, for holding said tins in position, substantially as described. Y

1l. A boat composed of foldable sections,Y L provided with lateral fins hinged toit on substantially horizontal lines so as to enable them f to be turned against its sides, and means forY holding said fins in position, substantially as ji lo described. Y

12. A boat with the within-lying rail, sheer-batteus, as well as the keel disposed on the outer side of the Y. v ribs next adjacent the ilexible covering so i15i that the natural lines of depression of its'covering between the sheer-batteus, &c., will beY 'Y from without inward, fore and aft'or alongVV j the water-lines, thereby providing clinkerV r effects as a means to steady the motion of the* 14o;Y

boat abeam, substantially as described.

In testimony'whereof I have signed my,rr i Vname to this specification in the presence ofVV j Y,

[ns1 or..

two subscribing witnesses.

' SATO RUJI.

Vitnesses: MASUJI MUJAKAWA, J. M. J. PHELAN.

loo

flexible covering, having Y Y I 

